Grilled Mexican street corn salad—AKA esquites—is already dangerously close to perfect: juicy kernels, creamy mayo, citrus pop, and a chili kick all working in harmony. But here’s the twist: fold in our Classic Roasted Chicken Sausage, and you’ve got a smoky, savory upgrade that earns instant crowd-favorite status. This exquisite recipe is bright, bold, and easy enough to throw together for a weeknight, yet worthy of every summer cookout spread.
SERVING MULTIPLIER:
1X
2X
3X
4X
Ingredients
Esquites
8 ears of corn, shucked (or 6 cups kernels)
1 Classic Roasted Chicken Sausage, links split in ½ lengthwise, casing removed, and hand-crumbled
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup finely crumbled cotija
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon finely minced red Fresno chili, seeds removed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon Ancho or Pasilla chili powder
Garnish
1 tablespoon cojita
10 Fresno chili threads
8 cilantro leaves
Instructions
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Servings: 1
1
Blister the corn: Working in batches, place shucked ears of corn in a hot cast-iron or heavy-bottom sauté pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side until lightly blistered with black freckling (but not fully charred). Alternatively, use a grill. Let cool, then cut kernels from the cobs into a large mixing bowl.
Note: If using frozen corn, this recipe calls for 6 cups or 30 oz. of kernels.
Note: If using frozen corn, this recipe calls for 6 cups or 30 oz. of kernels.
2
Prep the sausage: Heat a large sauté pan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add crumbled sausage and sauté 5–6 minutes, until browned on the edges. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before adding to the corn bowl.
3
Assemble the esquites: Stir mayonnaise, cotija, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, Fresno chili, salt, and chili powder into the corn and sausage. Transfer to a wide-rim serving bowl and garnish with extra cotija, chili threads, and cilantro leaves.
